Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:05.400
Like you to turn in your bibles
to Colossians too. I'll be our sermon
2
00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:15.509
text this evening. Glossoms, Chapter
Two, verses six through ten. Looshoms
3
00:00:15.589 --> 00:00:24.140
two, six through ten. Here
the word from your faithful God. Therefore,
4
00:00:25.219 --> 00:00:29.379
as you received Christ, Jesus the
Lord, so walk in him,
5
00:00:30.100 --> 00:00:34.700
rooted and built up in him and
established in the faith, just as you
6
00:00:34.740 --> 00:00:40.130
were taught, abounding in Thanksgiving.
See to it that no one takes you
7
00:00:40.369 --> 00:00:46.530
captive by philosophy and empty deceit according
to human tradition, according to the elemental
8
00:00:46.689 --> 00:00:52.280
spirits of the world and not according
to Christ, for in him the whole
9
00:00:52.399 --> 00:00:57.240
fullness of Deity dwells bodily, and
you have been filled in him, who
10
00:00:57.359 --> 00:01:02.039
is ahead of all rule and authority, a man. You may be seated.
11
00:01:07.629 --> 00:01:15.790
Don't wander off. If you've if
your parent, even if you're not
12
00:01:15.790 --> 00:01:21.099
a parent, if you've done anything
at all with children, you've probably said
13
00:01:21.140 --> 00:01:26.219
this a number of times. Don't
wander off. If you think back over
14
00:01:26.620 --> 00:01:30.620
your life when you were younger,
you probably heard this a number of times
15
00:01:30.659 --> 00:01:38.049
yourself, to maybe from parents in
the supermarket. Now, don't wander off,
16
00:01:38.170 --> 00:01:41.489
stay by me, stay by the
cart, don't go grabbing things.
17
00:01:42.769 --> 00:01:49.799
I experienced this often. Don't don't
wander off, stay right here and maybe
18
00:01:49.840 --> 00:01:53.640
when you're a little bit older you
heard again from your parents in different context.
19
00:01:55.200 --> 00:01:59.680
Come home straight after school, you
know. Don't go to the corner
20
00:01:59.799 --> 00:02:05.150
store, don't go to your friends
house. Come straight home after school.
21
00:02:05.590 --> 00:02:13.949
Don't wander off. Well, just
like a good parent, Paul here is
22
00:02:14.069 --> 00:02:19.060
concerned for the Christians at Colossa in
the same way. He's concerned that they're
23
00:02:19.099 --> 00:02:23.020
going to wander off, but not
from himself, that they're going to wander
24
00:02:23.060 --> 00:02:27.699
away from Christ because up to this
point in the book of Colossians, and
25
00:02:27.740 --> 00:02:31.490
I realize I sort of brought you
into the middle of an argument that Paul
26
00:02:31.530 --> 00:02:36.409
is making, but up to this
point in the book of Colossians, Paul
27
00:02:36.449 --> 00:02:44.169
has really been explaining to the Colossians
The majesty and supremacy and authority of Jesus,
28
00:02:44.599 --> 00:02:47.800
that in him you have everything you
need for life and godliness. If
29
00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:52.120
you go back to Colossians chapter one, you can see this. He is
30
00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:58.080
the firstborn of all creation. In
him everything was made. In Him,
31
00:02:58.360 --> 00:03:06.069
God is reconciling to himself the world
through Christ. There is this magnificence displayed
32
00:03:06.270 --> 00:03:12.590
of the splendor and majesty of WHO
Jesus is. But here in our passage
33
00:03:13.020 --> 00:03:16.620
that we read tonight, we learn
that there is a very attractive message that
34
00:03:16.699 --> 00:03:23.099
the Colossians are hearing and it's threatening
to pull them away, to pull them
35
00:03:23.139 --> 00:03:29.569
away from Christ, from following after
him, and this is that message here.
36
00:03:30.969 --> 00:03:35.250
If you want to be a first
class Christian, if you truly want
37
00:03:35.289 --> 00:03:39.569
to experience God, if you truly
want to know that God is with you
38
00:03:39.930 --> 00:03:45.639
and that God loves you, there's
a couple things you got to do.
39
00:03:46.680 --> 00:03:51.800
There's a special level of knowledge that
you need to have, some deep knowledge,
40
00:03:51.960 --> 00:03:55.030
some secret knowledge, not something that
everyone knows. You have this special
41
00:03:55.110 --> 00:04:00.030
level of knowledge and what's more,
there's a checklist of things that you need
42
00:04:00.110 --> 00:04:06.469
to do if you really want to
be a truly spiritual Christian. You can
43
00:04:06.830 --> 00:04:10.659
look on a little bit later in
Classians too, and you can see some
44
00:04:10.780 --> 00:04:16.300
of those things that he talks about
there. But Paul is worried because he's
45
00:04:16.300 --> 00:04:23.259
afraid that these Christians are starting to
wander. So Paul is writing to the
46
00:04:23.339 --> 00:04:28.649
Colossians and to us to here tonight, almost two thousand years later, to
47
00:04:28.889 --> 00:04:35.850
watch our walk, to stay the
course, to faithfully follow Jesus Christ,
48
00:04:35.970 --> 00:04:41.240
and Paul says it best at the
beginning of verse six. As you received
49
00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:46.560
Christ, keep walking in him.
That's our main point this evening, and
50
00:04:47.000 --> 00:04:53.149
Paul fleshes that out by describing three
things, and these verses here. First
51
00:04:53.550 --> 00:04:58.589
he tells us the secret of the
Christian Life and secondly, he tells us
52
00:04:58.589 --> 00:05:03.509
about the Seductiveness of false teaching and
thirdly, the superiority of Christ. So
53
00:05:03.670 --> 00:05:06.579
first, the secret of the Christian
life. Look again with me at versus
54
00:05:06.579 --> 00:05:13.300
six and seven. Therefore, as
you received Christ, Jesus the Lord,
55
00:05:13.699 --> 00:05:17.379
so walk in him, rooted and
built up in him and established in the
56
00:05:17.500 --> 00:05:24.490
faith, just as you were taught
abounding in Thanksgiving. So the classes have
57
00:05:24.529 --> 00:05:28.490
been hearing that they needed some kind
of secret knowledge to be genuine Christians,
58
00:05:28.610 --> 00:05:34.009
real Christians, these first class Christians. But here it's as if Paul is
59
00:05:34.250 --> 00:05:40.160
saying you, you want to know
that the secret of true connectedness to God?
60
00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:45.759
Do you want to know what it's
really like, the the secret path,
61
00:05:45.920 --> 00:05:49.589
the secret course, if you will, to having deep and intimate communion
62
00:05:49.750 --> 00:05:51.750
with God? You know, you
want to know what that's all about.
63
00:05:54.069 --> 00:06:00.910
It's just as you received Christ,
walk in him, continue in him.
64
00:06:01.269 --> 00:06:05.620
He's saying the secret of the Christian
life is that there is no secret.
65
00:06:06.220 --> 00:06:12.939
There's there's nothing more necessarily to it. He elaborates on what that means then
66
00:06:13.379 --> 00:06:15.139
in the we're going to get set
in just a minute, but saying that
67
00:06:15.180 --> 00:06:23.730
there is no secret to the Christian
life, continuing what you've received and that
68
00:06:23.810 --> 00:06:28.850
word received there, that word has
the idea of accepting as true the things
69
00:06:28.889 --> 00:06:33.199
we've been taught, the traditions that
we have bit received from our forbears in
70
00:06:33.319 --> 00:06:38.360
the faith. The COLOSSIANS had received
it from, as we learned in Colossians.
71
00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:42.399
One, from epaphus, a friend
of Paul, who had brought the
72
00:06:42.519 --> 00:06:46.310
Gospel to the church at Colossa and
had evangelized there. And now they've heard
73
00:06:46.389 --> 00:06:50.629
the truth of the Gospel. This, these truths, the doctrines of the
74
00:06:50.670 --> 00:06:57.629
Christian faith, from Paul in Colossians. One, that Jesus is God incarnate,
75
00:06:57.990 --> 00:07:01.939
the eternal son of God who created
all things and yet became a man
76
00:07:03.379 --> 00:07:08.980
who went to the cross so that
we might be reconciled to God. This
77
00:07:09.019 --> 00:07:14.379
is the heart of the Gospel,
this is the truth of the Christian faith,
78
00:07:14.939 --> 00:07:18.329
this is the good news of how
sinners can be declared right before God.
79
00:07:19.050 --> 00:07:26.529
And now Paul says cling to this
good news, don't let go.
80
00:07:27.769 --> 00:07:31.680
You can picture yourself hanging on for
dear life to the edge of a cliff
81
00:07:31.959 --> 00:07:40.399
and Paul is there above you saying
don't let go. It's deadly if you
82
00:07:40.480 --> 00:07:46.389
do. Continue in what you've received, because it's in this way that you
83
00:07:46.550 --> 00:07:51.149
not only first became a Christian,
but it's in this way, the same
84
00:07:51.750 --> 00:07:57.750
truth of the Gospel that through that, that you then live as a Christian
85
00:07:57.790 --> 00:08:03.060
in your day to day life.
See, living as a Christian consists in
86
00:08:03.420 --> 00:08:11.860
fundamentally trusting in Jesus, day by
day, hour by hour, in every
87
00:08:11.980 --> 00:08:18.610
situation, going back again and again
and again to the Gospel each and every
88
00:08:18.649 --> 00:08:22.930
day. I think about it this
way. This is going to tie in
89
00:08:24.009 --> 00:08:31.759
later. Think about the ABC's.
Okay, the alphabets basic building blocks of
90
00:08:31.959 --> 00:08:35.240
the English language. You need a
master this in order to really move on
91
00:08:35.720 --> 00:08:41.590
to the next level. Think about
how a child mature is they learn their
92
00:08:41.629 --> 00:08:48.389
ABC's and then you can basically make
combinations of letters and form words. You
93
00:08:48.629 --> 00:08:54.230
then string those words together to form
sentences and paragraphs and stories and even even
94
00:08:54.899 --> 00:09:01.980
if you're inclining to it poetry with
rhyme and meter and complexity, but you
95
00:09:03.179 --> 00:09:09.340
never even at that stage. You
never get beyond the ABC's. It's just
96
00:09:09.419 --> 00:09:16.090
different combinations of the same basic building
blocks, the same basic letters, and
97
00:09:16.169 --> 00:09:22.250
it's the same way with a Christian
life. So Paul is getting out here
98
00:09:22.129 --> 00:09:31.000
that the Gospel is the building blocks, those basic elements of the Christian life.
99
00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:37.320
And basically, as we grow,
as we mature in our faith,
100
00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:41.789
what we are doing is we are
learning to apply the Gospel in different ways
101
00:09:41.830 --> 00:09:48.669
to different situations, different circumstances.
We never get beyond our need for Christ
102
00:09:50.789 --> 00:09:56.940
and our need for the Gospel.
We Christian maturity is becoming more literate in
103
00:09:58.100 --> 00:10:03.139
our understanding of the content of the
Christian faith, more fluent, if you
104
00:10:03.259 --> 00:10:07.889
will, in speaking the language of
the Gospel to ourselves each and every day
105
00:10:07.970 --> 00:10:13.409
and to others as well. It's
becoming more competent in applying the work of
106
00:10:13.490 --> 00:10:18.330
Christ to our lives. And so
as we walk day by day and our
107
00:10:18.450 --> 00:10:24.519
by our holding fast to Christ,
holding fast to the truth of the Gospel,
108
00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:30.679
we grow into the fullness of Christ, we grow into full spiritual maturity.
109
00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:33.919
There is no secret to the Christian
life. And Paul backs us up
110
00:10:33.960 --> 00:10:39.789
in verse seven, where he emphasizes
the work of God in bringing us to
111
00:10:41.070 --> 00:10:45.509
completion, bringing us to this full
maturity here and and he does us by
112
00:10:45.549 --> 00:10:50.860
listing four actions here, the first
three of which are passive. In other
113
00:10:50.899 --> 00:10:54.059
ways, they're not things that we
do, they're actually things that are done
114
00:10:54.259 --> 00:10:58.179
to us. So First Paul says
we've been rooted in Christ. God Has
115
00:10:58.259 --> 00:11:03.330
United us to Christ by the Holy
Spirit, and so it's as if we
116
00:11:03.409 --> 00:11:07.649
are a tree with deep roots,
sunk deep into the ground so that when
117
00:11:07.690 --> 00:11:13.929
the winds blow and how we won't
be swayed or broken off. We're rooted
118
00:11:15.049 --> 00:11:20.200
deeply. Now Paul says in Ephesians, for verse fourteen, that because we've
119
00:11:20.200 --> 00:11:24.639
been rooted in Christ, we won't
be blown about by every wind of doctrine.
120
00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:31.320
When we hear the false when we
hear something that just doesn't head up,
121
00:11:31.399 --> 00:11:33.230
doesn't sound quite right. You probably
had the experience before. You hear
122
00:11:33.389 --> 00:11:37.990
something it's like, Hmm, I
don't know if that's quite right. That's
123
00:11:39.230 --> 00:11:43.750
that's the spirit working in you.
Because you are rooted in Christ, you
124
00:11:43.870 --> 00:11:48.220
can recognize false teaching when you hear
it. And then, secondly, Paul
125
00:11:48.220 --> 00:11:54.460
goes on and says that we are
being built up or constructed in Christ and
126
00:11:54.580 --> 00:11:58.019
the idea that Chrisins are like a
building. And as Paul says in the
127
00:11:58.019 --> 00:12:01.889
Phesians to twenty, we are founded
on the teaching of the Apostles, in
128
00:12:01.929 --> 00:12:07.490
the prophets, that the teaching of
the faith, the truths of the Gospel,
129
00:12:07.250 --> 00:12:13.009
and as we rest on this foundation
we are built up. God is
130
00:12:13.090 --> 00:12:18.120
like this master worker building us,
heading out a wing here, raising US
131
00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:24.240
taller there, until the building is
complete. That will happen, of course,
132
00:12:24.279 --> 00:12:28.559
when Christ returns on that last day, but we will be complete and
133
00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:33.629
mature, lacking nothing, growing as
taller and taller into completion. And by
134
00:12:33.669 --> 00:12:39.070
being rooted in Christ and built up
in Christ, then we're also established in
135
00:12:39.149 --> 00:12:43.149
the faith. And Paul is borrowing
from the language here of the court room.
136
00:12:45.700 --> 00:12:52.299
He saying that what we believe is
confirmed, verified, as true,
137
00:12:52.379 --> 00:12:58.409
as trustworthy, as reliable, something
you can put your life upon and depend
138
00:12:58.970 --> 00:13:07.370
upon. And this happens as we
see the truth of the Christian faith borne
139
00:13:07.490 --> 00:13:16.120
out in our personal experience. Because
it's one thing to confess the faith when
140
00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:24.360
you're in a nice, comfortable sanctuary
on a Sunday but it's another thing to
141
00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:30.190
confess the faith when your life is
falling apart and when you are dealing with
142
00:13:30.389 --> 00:13:35.909
tragedy in your personal life, maybe
financial, maybe it's relational, maybe a
143
00:13:35.070 --> 00:13:43.820
spouse just passed away. That's when
it's difficult, that's when it's hard,
144
00:13:45.779 --> 00:13:50.659
that's when it at the same time, that's when it means everything, because
145
00:13:50.700 --> 00:13:56.649
as we cling to Christ even in
the midst of difficult circumstances, even when
146
00:13:56.690 --> 00:14:01.250
we cry out to him and say, I don't know why this is happening
147
00:14:01.330 --> 00:14:07.090
to me, I don't know why
I'm going through this, it's then that
148
00:14:07.370 --> 00:14:15.759
we see the goodness and the grace
of Jesus in vibrant color. It's then
149
00:14:16.200 --> 00:14:20.519
that we hear him through his word, through hymns that we saying, through
150
00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:26.789
our prayers. We see that he
is true to his word, that he
151
00:14:26.950 --> 00:14:31.070
is a faithful savior, that he
is not just there on Sundays, but
152
00:14:31.309 --> 00:14:37.350
every day with us, for us, giving US grace to face every trial
153
00:14:37.429 --> 00:14:45.500
and every difficulty. And that's why, if you talk to and a mature
154
00:14:45.580 --> 00:14:48.539
Christian, experienced Christian, when those
wise, older, Godly Christians and you
155
00:14:48.620 --> 00:14:54.210
ask them when they grew the most, they'll tell you. It wasn't during
156
00:14:54.250 --> 00:14:58.970
those pleasant and easy seasons of life, it was during the hard times,
157
00:15:01.210 --> 00:15:07.759
because it was then that their faith
was established in Christ, as they saw
158
00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:16.200
him as trustworthy and reliable. And
the result of these things, of being
159
00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:22.549
you rooted in Christ, of being
built up in him, of having our
160
00:15:22.590 --> 00:15:28.110
faith established in him, as we
see his trustworthiness in the hard seasons of
161
00:15:28.230 --> 00:15:33.909
life, it's then that we respond
in Thanksgiving. As a result of all
162
00:15:33.950 --> 00:15:41.220
these things, the Christian life's life
of thankfulness. It's a life of praise
163
00:15:41.340 --> 00:15:46.379
to God from whom all blessings flow. We realize that we don't deserve any
164
00:15:46.419 --> 00:15:50.490
of us, any of his goodness. Yeah, he's lavished it upon us
165
00:15:50.529 --> 00:15:58.090
and poured it out upon us,
and so we praise him for working graciously
166
00:15:58.649 --> 00:16:03.879
in US every day of our lives
and realizing that one day, when this
167
00:16:04.120 --> 00:16:08.399
life is or one day this will
be complete, and we will stand before
168
00:16:08.440 --> 00:16:15.399
him, mature fully in the likeness
of Christ, clothed with those robes of
169
00:16:15.480 --> 00:16:22.950
righteousness, clean and pure before him. This is the path that is set
170
00:16:22.990 --> 00:16:26.830
before us. This is the truth
of the Gospel from which we must not
171
00:16:26.669 --> 00:16:32.830
wander, and that's why Paul moves
on in verse A to discuss the Seductiveness
172
00:16:33.500 --> 00:16:36.620
of false teaching, says our second
point. Look again at verse eight with
173
00:16:36.700 --> 00:16:41.659
me. See to it that no
one takes you captive by philosophy and empty
174
00:16:41.779 --> 00:16:47.370
deceit, according to human tradition,
according to the elemental spirits of the world,
175
00:16:47.809 --> 00:16:52.129
and not according to Christ's Paul starts
with a warning here. Says,
176
00:16:52.929 --> 00:16:57.610
see to it, beware, watch
out. The idea is that if we're
177
00:16:57.690 --> 00:17:04.400
not careful, this danger is sneaking
up on us and we're not going to
178
00:17:04.519 --> 00:17:08.599
notice it. It's it's a little
bit like a horror movie. You know
179
00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:15.349
there's something there in the darkness,
something lurking just off the path. And
180
00:17:15.470 --> 00:17:18.950
what is that danger? Well,
he goes on. He says it's going
181
00:17:18.029 --> 00:17:25.109
to take us captive, and it's
this vivid image. It's it has the
182
00:17:25.230 --> 00:17:30.980
idea of being kidnapped and taken as
a slave. But our captor, Paul
183
00:17:32.019 --> 00:17:34.380
says, is a strange one.
Can See what he says. Paul says
184
00:17:34.380 --> 00:17:40.700
if we stray from the truth,
will be taken captive by philosophy and empty
185
00:17:41.339 --> 00:17:48.769
deceit. What's Paul talking about here? He's not talking about education or the
186
00:17:48.890 --> 00:17:52.690
academic discipline of philosophy. That's not
what he's talking about. Actually, Paul
187
00:17:52.690 --> 00:17:57.210
goes on and tells US exactly what
he's talking about and explaining it when he
188
00:17:57.329 --> 00:18:03.960
says that this philosophy and empty deceit
is according to human tradition, according to
189
00:18:03.039 --> 00:18:11.000
the elemental spirits of the world.
We know what human traditions are. Jesus
190
00:18:11.319 --> 00:18:15.470
condemns them in mark seven when he
condemned the traditions of the Pharisees. There
191
00:18:15.509 --> 00:18:23.150
these manmade customs and traditions, practices, habits that we think are somehow going
192
00:18:23.269 --> 00:18:27.579
to earn a something with God,
somehow they're going to give us access to
193
00:18:27.819 --> 00:18:33.299
God as we keep them and they'll
give it bring us closer to God.
194
00:18:33.380 --> 00:18:37.779
But as for these elemental spirits of
the world, I prefer what's in your
195
00:18:37.819 --> 00:18:42.009
footnote, if you have the English
Standard version. It's also the way the
196
00:18:42.130 --> 00:18:47.569
King James, the N IV and
the new American standard translated. They say
197
00:18:47.730 --> 00:18:53.529
according to the basic principles or the
elementary principles of the world. There's there's
198
00:18:53.569 --> 00:19:00.599
this idea of going back to the
basics again, thinking of like letters of
199
00:19:00.759 --> 00:19:07.400
the alphabet or elements in the periodic
table. The word in the Greek actually
200
00:19:07.960 --> 00:19:15.589
is the word from which we get
stoichiometry, thinking about chemistry and such again,
201
00:19:15.670 --> 00:19:18.470
the elements of the periodic table.
You could think of it this way.
202
00:19:18.549 --> 00:19:25.619
Over, against the Gospel, the
Abes, these of the Christian faith,
203
00:19:26.539 --> 00:19:33.180
there's another alphabet, another basic way, another fundamental way by which the
204
00:19:33.380 --> 00:19:38.490
world tries to relate to God,
these two fundamental ways. And what is
205
00:19:38.569 --> 00:19:44.730
this way, according to human tradition, according to the elementary principles of the
206
00:19:44.809 --> 00:19:52.880
world? Well, it's according to
works, according to the flesh, Paul
207
00:19:52.920 --> 00:19:56.599
says. It's this idea that somehow, whether by doing enough good deeds or
208
00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:06.680
maybe, in today Tucson, accumulating
enough Karma at a conversation with a cashier,
209
00:20:07.230 --> 00:20:11.230
that safe way who believes in Karma, that they're they're they're here.
210
00:20:12.349 --> 00:20:18.789
You Accumulate Enough Karma, you do
enough good deeds. Maybe even it's as
211
00:20:18.789 --> 00:20:23.420
simple as the person who wants to
create their own meaning in life, if
212
00:20:23.460 --> 00:20:27.420
you've heard that before, create my
own meaning in life. All of these
213
00:20:27.579 --> 00:20:33.059
ways are according to the flesh,
according to works, trying to relate to
214
00:20:33.339 --> 00:20:41.569
God or trying to relate to yourself
as God in order to earn life and
215
00:20:41.769 --> 00:20:48.529
blessing in this world. That's this
way that Paul is talking about here,
216
00:20:48.650 --> 00:20:53.359
but he says that this is an
empty deceit and allert ring lie. Why
217
00:20:53.440 --> 00:21:00.880
do we find this so seductive,
so particularly thinking about this as Christians,
218
00:21:00.920 --> 00:21:06.109
I think there's two basic way to, two reasons, I should say,
219
00:21:06.630 --> 00:21:12.710
why we find this alternative way to
the Gospel so seductive, and it's because
220
00:21:12.789 --> 00:21:22.740
we find God's way too simple and
too boring. It's too simple. The
221
00:21:22.819 --> 00:21:32.339
Christian life is an ordinary daily routine
of walking by faith in Jesus, and
222
00:21:32.460 --> 00:21:37.970
then once a week all these ordinary
Christians get together and they do simple,
223
00:21:37.849 --> 00:21:42.210
ordinary things. We sit down and
we stand up and we sit down and
224
00:21:42.329 --> 00:21:47.960
we stand up again and we sit
down some more. We we sing,
225
00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:55.880
we pray, we sit faithfully in
our pews and we listen to someone speak
226
00:21:56.400 --> 00:21:57.720
for a long time. If we're
just talking about this on the human level,
227
00:21:57.920 --> 00:22:03.150
we listen to someone speak for a
long time. Then we pray again.
228
00:22:04.750 --> 00:22:11.190
We may have a little meal together
thinking about the Lord's supper. These
229
00:22:11.230 --> 00:22:15.420
are just simple, basic ordinary things
and as a result we find them boring.
230
00:22:17.740 --> 00:22:22.299
It's very easy to find them born, particularly again if you have chill
231
00:22:22.460 --> 00:22:27.859
during they think so often. It's
boring they start squirming and wiggling around.
232
00:22:29.619 --> 00:22:36.569
I have three little ones under four
years old. So yes, we we
233
00:22:36.809 --> 00:22:41.970
want something radical. We want something
where we actually get up and do something,
234
00:22:42.049 --> 00:22:48.119
we're exerting ourselves somehow. We we
don't want this ordinary daily routine of
235
00:22:48.599 --> 00:22:52.799
faith and repentance, faith and repentance
over and over and over again. We
236
00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:57.789
want cross fit for Christians. We
want some some way in which we are
237
00:22:59.190 --> 00:23:02.390
exerting ourselves, bringing ourselves closer to
God. This, this other way,
238
00:23:02.509 --> 00:23:06.349
is just too slow. It's so
boring, it's so simple. There must
239
00:23:06.349 --> 00:23:08.990
be something I can do to speed
this up. Actually, one caught of
240
00:23:10.069 --> 00:23:14.019
this is this is what the Collossians
were facing, and one commentator says this
241
00:23:14.339 --> 00:23:18.299
about this lie. This the seat
that the Colossians were facing, this philosophy.
242
00:23:18.460 --> 00:23:23.660
It urged upon these young Christians the
challenge of fullness of spiritual life and
243
00:23:23.819 --> 00:23:30.450
experience. It called upon them to
be satisfied with nothing less than a life
244
00:23:30.569 --> 00:23:33.690
free from the stain and tyranny of
sin. It pointed the way to a
245
00:23:33.769 --> 00:23:41.170
zeal and devotion that put to shame
all complacence or halfheartedness. It spoke of
246
00:23:41.250 --> 00:23:45.720
the need to get out of the
shallows and open the heart and the mind
247
00:23:45.279 --> 00:23:52.759
to the deep things of God.
That sounds great. Sign me up for
248
00:23:52.920 --> 00:24:00.069
that. And it's true we should
want to grow an understanding of the deep
249
00:24:00.109 --> 00:24:03.029
things of God. Want to grow
and and it mature is Christians. But
250
00:24:03.150 --> 00:24:08.990
here's the thing. This way,
trying to do this on our own,
251
00:24:10.220 --> 00:24:17.339
doesn't work, as applies both Christians
and Non Christians. And you may ask,
252
00:24:17.380 --> 00:24:18.980
well, how do we know it
doesn't work? Bulls, because it's
253
00:24:19.019 --> 00:24:25.329
been done before. We've tried it
and it failed back in the garden of
254
00:24:25.369 --> 00:24:32.730
Eden. Think about the garden when
God came to Adam and even gave them
255
00:24:33.569 --> 00:24:40.119
one really, when it boils down
to it, one simple command. Don't
256
00:24:41.160 --> 00:24:56.950
eat this, don't wander off.
That's it. But what happened? Eve
257
00:24:57.150 --> 00:25:02.829
looked at the fruit, and this
is what Genesis says. It was good
258
00:25:02.990 --> 00:25:07.819
for food, it was pleasant to
look at and it was desirable because it
259
00:25:07.900 --> 00:25:12.299
wouldn't make you wise. and She's
hearing the serpent in her ear. To
260
00:25:12.420 --> 00:25:17.900
God really tell you that you couldn't
eat this, you're not supposed to eat
261
00:25:18.059 --> 00:25:26.289
this fruit. Chart Your own course, create your own meaning, and the
262
00:25:26.369 --> 00:25:30.329
result will be that you'll become like
God. You'll be as wise as God,
263
00:25:30.890 --> 00:25:34.569
your mind will be expanded to include
knowledge you couldn't have dreamed of before.
264
00:25:37.200 --> 00:25:48.000
All it takes is one little bite, so simple, and yet that's
265
00:25:48.119 --> 00:25:52.269
where it not just affected Adam and
Eve, but the whole human race,
266
00:25:52.549 --> 00:25:59.910
plunging us into sin. We've tried
this before and no matter how appealing this
267
00:26:00.150 --> 00:26:07.339
path may seem, we can't get
to God that way. Son. That
268
00:26:07.779 --> 00:26:10.180
opens up the question. If this
is what we're facing, if this is
269
00:26:10.220 --> 00:26:14.339
the temptation that Paul is addressing here, well, what's the solution to it?
270
00:26:14.420 --> 00:26:18.609
Where do we find life? And
that's what he gets to in the
271
00:26:18.690 --> 00:26:22.490
next couple verses. Moving on to
our third point here, the superiority of
272
00:26:22.569 --> 00:26:26.769
Christ. Look with me again at
versus nine and ten, for in him
273
00:26:27.329 --> 00:26:33.119
the whole fullness of Deity dwells bodily, and you've been filled in him,
274
00:26:33.480 --> 00:26:37.400
who is ahead of all rule and
authority. So when we feel like Christianity
275
00:26:37.480 --> 00:26:44.599
is too simple or too boring,
it's because we've forgotten something. We forgotten
276
00:26:44.680 --> 00:26:51.390
that this teaching we received is fundamentally
about Jesus. It's a little bit cliche
277
00:26:52.470 --> 00:26:57.029
and it's often misapplied to clean our
reform circles with people often say it of
278
00:26:57.230 --> 00:27:03.859
us, that we're all about the
head knowledge, and that to a degree
279
00:27:03.980 --> 00:27:06.700
can be true. But here's the
thing. Is that this head knowledge,
280
00:27:07.099 --> 00:27:11.859
it I shouldn't say head knowledge,
this that the truths of Christianity, the
281
00:27:11.019 --> 00:27:17.809
truths of the Bible, that the
teaching of the Gospel isn't just head knowledge.
282
00:27:18.970 --> 00:27:23.690
It really and vitally connects us to
Christ. We are we have this
283
00:27:25.049 --> 00:27:33.720
deep, true union with Jesus that's
created in us by the Holy Spirit.
284
00:27:33.240 --> 00:27:41.119
We have this genuine eternal life through
this relationship with Jesus Christ. The fullness
285
00:27:41.200 --> 00:27:45.269
of Deity dwells bodily in Christ.
Just think about that for a moment.
286
00:27:47.549 --> 00:27:53.670
Fullness of Deity dwells bodily in Christ. The Eternal Son of God veiled his
287
00:27:53.829 --> 00:28:00.460
glory, took on Human Flesh,
a human nature, became like us and
288
00:28:00.539 --> 00:28:10.819
dwelt among us. Eternal Son of
God became fully and truly man, but
289
00:28:11.019 --> 00:28:22.089
he didn't just become at one point
man. Get this. Jesus still is
290
00:28:22.170 --> 00:28:30.039
fully human even now and still has
a body, a human body, says.
291
00:28:30.079 --> 00:28:37.000
A fullness of God didn't dwell in
the past, dwelt bodily. The
292
00:28:37.160 --> 00:28:44.069
fullness of Deity dwells bodily. It's
still ongoing. When Jesus ascended back into
293
00:28:44.190 --> 00:28:48.950
heaven, he didn't shed his human
body. Christ still has that human body
294
00:28:48.109 --> 00:28:52.069
and that body right now is sitting
on the right hand of God, the
295
00:28:52.190 --> 00:28:59.460
Father, The majesty on high.
But Christ not only became like us and
296
00:28:59.779 --> 00:29:07.900
remains like us, he still dwells
with us and in us by his Holy
297
00:29:07.940 --> 00:29:11.369
Spirit. Because if you received Christ
by faith, Paul says, you are
298
00:29:11.690 --> 00:29:19.690
filled with the fullness of Christ.
Right now, he, who is the
299
00:29:19.849 --> 00:29:29.559
fullness of God, fully dwells in
us by his spirit. The Apostle Peter
300
00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:33.920
Talks about this in Second Peter,
Chapter One, verse four, saying that
301
00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:37.440
we have been made partakers in the
divine nature, and that doesn't mean that
302
00:29:37.559 --> 00:29:41.789
we become God. It's not what
you're saying, but what he means is
303
00:29:41.950 --> 00:29:45.710
that there is this true, vibrant, Real Union with Christ, such that
304
00:29:45.950 --> 00:29:52.420
we are filled with his life.
We have the life of Christ flowing through
305
00:29:52.539 --> 00:30:00.220
our veins. We we have been
adopted into the family of God, and
306
00:30:02.140 --> 00:30:07.690
Christ now dwells in us by faith, as Paul talks about this, in
307
00:30:07.769 --> 00:30:11.250
glacians too, as no longer I
who live, but Christ, who lives
308
00:30:11.690 --> 00:30:17.410
in me and the life I now
live in, the body, I live
309
00:30:17.529 --> 00:30:21.960
by faith in the son of God
who loved me and gave himself for me,
310
00:30:22.359 --> 00:30:26.160
and that means that every benefit and
every blessing that Christ earn for us
311
00:30:26.200 --> 00:30:30.839
through his perfect obedience to the law
of God and his death on the cross
312
00:30:30.880 --> 00:30:40.269
is ours, because we are in
him. That's what we have in Jesus.
313
00:30:40.349 --> 00:30:44.630
And what's most amazing, what makes
this even more amazing, is a
314
00:30:44.710 --> 00:30:48.190
fact that Paul then highlights. This
a fact that Christ rules and reigns over
315
00:30:48.390 --> 00:30:55.180
all things, the ruler of the
cosmos, the one who created all things,
316
00:30:55.259 --> 00:31:00.259
the king of kings and Lord of
Lords, has taken up residence in
317
00:31:00.380 --> 00:31:07.329
your soul by the power of his
spirit. And what more could we ask
318
00:31:07.450 --> 00:31:12.250
for? What more could we possibly
need? Paul is highlighting the fact that
319
00:31:12.329 --> 00:31:18.079
we don't need anything else. It's
all in Jesus and we have received him.
320
00:31:18.880 --> 00:31:23.640
We don't need anything that. We
don't need this shuckster religion, this
321
00:31:23.720 --> 00:31:32.440
shuckster philosophy, we don't need it. We have Christ in Christ is enough,
322
00:31:33.190 --> 00:31:41.990
more than enough. This is how
the Gospel works. Christianity isn't about
323
00:31:41.990 --> 00:31:48.619
US trying to climb up to God. It's the the historical reality that God,
324
00:31:49.099 --> 00:31:55.980
in time and space, came down
to us to give us access into
325
00:31:56.099 --> 00:32:00.460
his presence so we might have a
real, living relationship with the God who
326
00:32:00.539 --> 00:32:06.609
made us and who has redeemed us. Through Jesus, he has done what
327
00:32:06.730 --> 00:32:10.970
we couldn't do and could never do. And so, friends, when that
328
00:32:12.130 --> 00:32:20.240
temptation comes to add something to Jesus, go to him in prayer, Hensher
329
00:32:20.440 --> 00:32:23.640
into the Throne Room of the king
of Kings, knowing that he bids you
330
00:32:23.960 --> 00:32:30.910
come and enter and sing to him
along with the hymn writer. Prone to
331
00:32:31.150 --> 00:32:37.789
wander Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love.
332
00:32:38.910 --> 00:32:45.259
Here's my heart, take and seal
it. Seal it for THY courts.
333
00:32:45.299 --> 00:32:47.579
Above let's pray
